


Challenging Destiny

by N16



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Arthur never listens, Changing Destiny, Destiny personified, Gen, Grumpy merlin, Merlin's Magic Revealed (Merlin), Protective Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-14
Updated: 2020-09-14
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,791
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26466109
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/N16/pseuds/N16
Summary: Destiny takes Arthur and the knights hostage in an effort to persuade Merlin to grant her a favor, but Merlin has no interest in playing her games.
Comments: 38
Kudos: 430





	Challenging Destiny

"Be careful, Arthur."

Arthur rolled his eyes. "Honestly, Merlin, we need to teach you some new vocabulary words. I can't take three steps recently without you warning me to be careful."

Merlin didn't crack a smile. "I'm serious. Don't you feel it? We should take the hunt somewhere else."

Arthur looked around the forest with a frown, then turned back to Merlin in confusion. "Feel what?" he asked, growing concerned when he saw Merlin shudder.

"I don't know, exactly," the servant muttered. "There's just…something."

"Great. Very informative."

"I mean it, Arthur."

"You always do. Relax, Merlin. It's just a hunt, not a battle."

"There!" Arthur heard Elyan shout, and he turned his attention back to the task at hand, following Elyan's gaze to where a shadow moved through the trees. Whatever it was, it was big, he noted, the thrill of the chase surging through him as he took off in pursuit.

The sounds of the rest of the party disappeared quickly, but he could still see the movement of the animal's flight, so he didn't give up. Before long, the brush became too dense for the horse, so he dismounted and pushed ahead on foot.

And then, finally, he broke through into a large clearing, and abruptly he understood what Merlin had been trying to tell him.

This place…there was…well, _something_.

Just like Merlin had so unhelpfully said.

In the middle of a clearing stood a white stag, staring at him proudly. It was beautiful, but at the same time unsettling, and Arthur felt an inexplicable flash of fear.

And then suddenly the stag was gone, and in its place stood a woman. Tall and proud, with flowing hair and blazing eyes, she smirked as she looked at Arthur.

The fear turned to terror. That smile was terrible and divine, and he had no choice but to submit to the weight of it. And without even thinking, Arthur found himself on his knees, bowing before her.

"King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table." Her voice carried, rich with a dash of irony, as though Arthur and his men somehow amused her. "How I have watched you, and how I have blessed you. And now you kneel in my temple. You are most welcome."

The weight eased and Arthur looked up, disoriented. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"Sire?"

Startled, Arthur looked around and realized the knights who had joined him on the hunt were scattered around the edge of the clearing.

_The stag led us all here_.

And that raised another question. "Why are we here?"

"Oh, the great questions of life," the woman mused lightly. "You are in my temple. I am the one you have always served, although you did not know it. And as to why you are here…you are here because I need to speak with my brother."

"That doesn't explain anything," Arthur replied with as much respect as he could, wary of making her angry. "Who is your brother? One of us?" A quick glance around at his men told him that none of them recognized her.

The woman laughed. "No, King Arthur. My brother is certainly not one of you. Humans are very funny, aren't they? I can see why he likes you." She smiled indulgently at him. "No, my brother is Magic."

The capital M was inexplicably audible. Arthur understood, without quite knowing how, that her brother did not simply have magic, but that he _was Magic_.

The knights slowly began to ease their way around the edges of the clearing towards him, much to Arthur's relief. He had no delusions they could fight this woman, but he would rather face her with his knights by his side all the same.

"Why are we here?" Arthur asked once again. "What does magic have to do with us?"

"Because," she said with a satisfied smile, "he will come for you."

"Magic will come for us?" Arthur repeated. " _Why?_ "

"Because Magic serves you, King Arthur. He will always rescue you. Now please, there's no need for you all to stay so far away. I have no intention of harming you. Come into my temple and make yourselves comfortable. I assure you, it won't be long now."

"I don't think magic serves me," Arthur objected tentatively, taking only a few steps into the clearing out of politeness. He did not want to get any closer to her. But the woman just laughed and ignored his protest.

And it wasn't long – only a minute or two – before Arthur heard the noisy sound of someone clumsily pushing their way through the flora and into the clearing.

He wasn't surprised to see Merlin. Who else could make that much noise?

"Leave it to you to be late to your own abduction," he muttered to his servant, but Merlin didn't even look at him.

And that was strange, wasn't it? Any time they walked into a dangerous situation, Merlin was right there, watching Arthur out of the corner of his eye, doing his damnedest to step between Arthur and the threat. Arthur had never even realized it before, but now that Merlin _wasn't_ doing it, the difference was obvious.

Of course, when Arthur had first entered the clearing, he had seen nothing besides the woman either.

But Merlin did not respond with awe as Arthur had. Instead, he spotted the woman and snorted.

"You have got to be kidding me."

The woman smiled warmly at him, and Merlin glared in response.

"You should show proper respect when entering my temple, dear brother."

"I do not bow to Destiny," Merlin said coldly, walking towards the woman.

"You would challenge me?"

"I have done so before, and you know I will do so again when the time comes. But I have neither the time nor the interest for a fight today. I am tired. I am hungry. I am cold. My butt is numb from being in a saddle for so long. I want to go home. Let them go."

Destiny grinned. "You have grown cantankerous since taking on human form, Emrys."

"And growing more so every minute. Let them go."

"Relax, brother," she said, rolling her eyes. "Your pets are in no danger. I just wished to speak with you. I have a favor to ask."

"Next time you could try dropping by for a visit and saying please," Merlin snapped. "You'll find me much more amenable when you're not holding my _friends_ hostage."

"Friends," the woman scoffed. "You _have_ embraced life as a mortal, haven't you?"

"Destiny," Merlin warned, his eyes hard. "What do you want?"

"Just one simple thing." The angrier Merlin became, the more Destiny seemed to be enjoying herself. "I want Morgana Pendragon."

Merlin scoffed and looked away, shaking his head in disbelief. "You want Morgana? Why?"

"Why do I want anyone, dear brother? I have a plan for her."

"Yes, I'm sure you do. I shudder to think what you might do with Morgana in your hands."

"Don't worry yourself about that. All I want you to do is use your magic to subdue her and bring her to me."

A tiny smirk crossed Merlin's face. "You cannot subdue her yourself?"

Destiny's own smile dropped in response. "She is slippery as a snake and her will is strong. Not unlike you, _Merlin_. So you see why I need your help."

"I do see. No."

Destiny blinked, taken aback. "No?"

"No, I will not help you get Morgana Pendragon."

Her eyes narrowed. "Do you forget who made you, Emrys? Who took magic and gave it physical form? Who set you on this path?"

Merlin stepped closer to her, until they were only feet apart. "You should have made me more carefully, Destiny. For you may be Destiny, but you created me with free will. And I will not give you Morgana. I have my own plans for her when I find her."

Destiny snorted disbelievingly. "Twice you have held her life in your hands, and twice you have spared her. Why should a third time be any different?"

"I still had hope for her then," Merlin admitted. "I do not hope for her now."

"Hope. Such a human emotion," Destiny dismissed disdainfully.

"Then I guess I have you to thank for my capacity for it. Now, are you going to permit my friends to leave? Or is this going to turn into a fight?"

Destiny looked over at Arthur with surprise, as though she had forgotten about him. "You can take them and go. But you know I will get what I want anyway, sooner or later."

Merlin didn't answer. He just stared at her for a long moment, then turned and began making his way towards Arthur.

And then he stopped. Arthur watched the emotions play across his face – anger turned to realization; realization turned to thoughtfulness; thoughtfulness turned to dread; and dread turned to determination.

He turned back around. "I'll make you a deal."

Destiny raised her eyebrows in surprise. "A deal with Destiny? Oh, you do live dangerously, don't you, brother?"

Merlin walked back to her, not stopping until they were face to face. "I'll give you Morgana. And you give me Camlann."

Destiny's eyes widened for a moment, and then she laughed delightedly. "Oh, that _is_ quite the proposal!"

"No tricks," Merlin warned. "Camlann is rewritten, and _I_ rewrite his ending. Not you."

"And if I give you Camlann, you will bring me Morgana?" she asked, grinning.

"That is the deal." Merlin reached out a hand to her, his back straight and his chin lifted. There was no doubt in his eyes.

Destiny reached back, placing her hand palm-to-palm with Merlin's. A flurry of wind swirled around them, light glowing from their joined hands for a brief moment.

" _The deal is struck._ " Destiny's voice echoed through the clearing.

Merlin nodded curtly, then turned back around. "Let's go," he said to Arthur and the men as he approached.

It took Arthur a moment to react, and when he did, it was like waking from a dream.

Destiny…Merlin…magic?

Any moment, he would wake up in his bed in Camelot.

He wasn't awake yet though, and he had no desire to stay in Destiny's temple, so he shook himself into action and prepared to follow Merlin.

But Destiny called out as they reached the edge of the clearing.

"Emrys?"

Merlin paused.

"If you do _not_ bring me Morgana, know that Destiny will follow its original course. And I will ensure that your king's death is slow and painful."

Merlin looked over his shoulder.

"Threatening my king, Destiny?" A smile spread across Merlin's face, and for a moment, he looked more terrifying than she did. "Now who's living dangerously?"

**Author's Note:**

> After writing this, I realized Destiny would probably more appropriately be Merlin's mother than sister, but I couldn't make that dynamic work. Besides, once I thought that, I thought about Hunith, and then I had this image in my mind of Merlin yelling "You're not my REAL mom!" at Destiny like an angry stepchild. So sister it is.


End file.
